Piercing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈpir-siŋ/ pierc·ing

Meaning & Definition of Piercing

Piercing (adjective)

  1. penetrating
  2. loud, shrill
  3. perceptive

Piercing (noun)

  1. a piece of jewelry (such as a ring or stud) that is attached to pierced flesh

Piercing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing intense discomfort to one's skin

    "that light sweater will be no match for the piercing wind outside"

    similar: biting, bitter, cutting, keen, penetrating, raw, sharp, shrewd, smarting, stinging
    related: brisk, invigorating, nippy, snappy, needlelike, prickly, tingling, caustic, corrosive
    near: balmy, gentle, mild, soothing

  2. marked by a high volume of sound

    "the frightened child emitted a piercing shriek that could be heard all over the house"

    similar: blaring, blasting, booming, clamorous, clangorous, deafening, earsplitting, loud, plangent, resounding, ringing, roaring, slam-bang, sonorous, stentorian, thundering, thunderous
    related: brazen, dinning, discordant, noisy, obstreperous, raucous, rip-roaring, vociferous, grating, harsh, overloud, sharp, shrill, squealing, strident
    opposite: gentle, low, soft
    near: dead, quiet, silent, still, stilly, ultraquiet, calm, dreamy, peaceful, restful, serene, soothing, tranquil, hushed, muffled, muted, softened, toned (down)

Piercing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to go or come in or into

    "thoughts of revenge relentlessly pierced her mind"

    similar: accessing, entering, penetrating, setting foot in, stepping into
    related: barging (in), breezing (in), bursting (in or into), waltzing (in), dropping in, popping (in), straying (into), wandering (into), crashing, encroaching, gate-crashing, infiltrating, infringing, intruding, invading, trespassing
    opposite: departing, exiting, leaving

  2. to make a hole or series of holes in

    "pierced his ears with a needle"

    similar: boring, drilling, holing, perforating, punching, puncturing, riddling
    related: broaching, tapping, poking, pricking, prickling, penetrating, burrowing (into), excavating, gouging, grooving, hollowing, breaking, cutting, gashing, notching, rending, rupturing, slashing, slitting, splitting
    near: filling, patching, plugging, sealing

  3. to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object

    "the saber pierced his chest, releasing a spurt of blood"

    similar: goring, harpooning, impaling, jabbing, lancing, pecking, picking, pinking, puncturing, running through, skewering, spearing, spiking, spitting, stabbing, sticking, transfixing, transpiercing
    related: spindling, perforating, riddling, bayoneting, dirking, gimleting, piking, poniarding, pronging, quilling, pinpricking, poking, pricking, punching, thrusting, cutting, knifing, slicing

Related Entry: Pierce (verb)

Pierce is a different word from Piercing. The synonyms below are for pierce, not for piercing.

  1. to go or come in or into

    "thoughts of revenge relentlessly pierced her mind"

    similar: access, enter, penetrate, set foot in, step into
    related: barge (in), breeze (in), burst (in or into), waltz (in), drop in, pop (in), stray (into), wander (into), crash, encroach, gate-crash, infiltrate, infringe, intrude, invade, trespass
    opposite: depart, exit, leave

  2. to make a hole or series of holes in

    "pierced his ears with a needle"

    similar: bore, drill, hole, perforate, punch, puncture, riddle
    related: broach, tap, poke, prick, prickle, penetrate, burrow (into), excavate, gouge, groove, hollow, break, cut, gash, notch, rend, rupture, slash, slit, split
    near: fill, patch, plug, seal

  3. to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object

    "the saber pierced his chest, releasing a spurt of blood"

    similar: gore, harpoon, impale, jab, lance, peck, pick, pink, puncture, run through, skewer, spear, spike, spit, stab, stick, transfix, transpierce
    related: spindle, perforate, riddle, bayonet, dirk, gimlet, pike, poniard, prong, quill, pinprick, poke, prick, punch, thrust, cut, knife, slice

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Piercing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Piercing:

biting, bitter, cutting, keen, penetrating, raw, sharp, shrewd, smarting, stinging, blaring, blasting, booming, clamorous, clangorous, deafening, earsplitting, loud, plangent, resounding, ringing, roaring, slam-bang, sonorous, stentorian, thundering, thunderous, accessing, entering, boring, drilling, holing, perforating, punching, puncturing, riddling, goring, harpooning, impaling, jabbing

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Piercing

Words with the opposite meaning of Piercing:

gentle, low, soft, departing, exiting, leaving

Related Words for Piercing

brisk, invigorating, nippy, snappy, needlelike, prickly, tingling, caustic, corrosive, brazen, dinning, discordant, noisy, obstreperous, raucous, rip-roaring, vociferous, grating, harsh, overloud, shrill, squealing, strident, barging (in), breezing (in), bursting (in or into), waltzing (in), dropping in, popping (in), straying (into)

Near Antonyms of Piercing

balmy, mild, soothing, dead, quiet, silent, still, stilly, ultraquiet, calm, dreamy, peaceful, restful, serene, tranquil, hushed, muffled, muted, softened, toned (down), filling, patching, plugging, sealing

Word Forms of Piercing

Derived words: piercingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Piercing

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Piercing

body piercing

Frequently Asked Questions about Piercing

What does "Piercing" mean?

"Piercing" means penetrating. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: penetrating. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Piercing"?

Other words for "Piercing" include biting, bitter, cutting, keen, penetrating, raw, sharp and shrewd. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Piercing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Piercing"?

There are 124 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Piercing". Common alternatives include biting, bitter, cutting, keen, penetrating, raw, sharp, shrewd, smarting and stinging.

What is the opposite of "Piercing"?

Antonyms of "Piercing" include gentle, low, soft, departing, exiting and leaving. Near antonyms include balmy, mild, soothing and dead.

How do you use "Piercing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Piercing" in a sentence: "that light sweater will be no match for the piercing wind outside"; "the frightened child emitted a piercing shriek that could be heard all over the house"; "thoughts of revenge relentlessly pierced her mind".

Is "Piercing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Piercing" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Piercing"?

"Piercing" is pronounced /ˈpir-siŋ/ and divided into syllables as pierc·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Piercing"?

First known use: 14th century.